On Monday, a Supreme Court draft memo written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico. You can read our coverage of it here. President Joe Biden responded to the report and has put out a statement declaring abortion a “fundamental” right and says that progressive voters must make their voices heard in the November midterms.
Biden then announced that the White House will be ready “when any ruling is issued.”
“First, my administration argued strongly before the Court in defense of Roe v. Wade. We said that Roe is based on “a long line of precedent recognizing ‘the Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty’… against government interference with intensely personal decisions.” I believe that a woman’s right to choose is fundamental, Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned.”
Biden began his statement discussing the veracity of the draft: “We do not know whether this draft is genuine, or whether it reflects the final decision of the Court. With that critical caveat, I want to be clear on three points about the cases before the Supreme Court.”
Biden then made his appeal to progressive voters in the upcoming midterms, “If the court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.”
Senator Chuck Schumer responded quickly after blasting President Donald Trump and Republicans for pushing right-wing justices into the Supreme Court.
“This is a dark and disturbing morning for America,” said the New York Senator. “Under this decision, our children will have less rights than their parents.”
Mitch McConnell quickly responded and said, “The disgraceful statements by President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Schumer refuse to defend judicial independence and the rule of law and instead play into this toxic spectacle. Real leaders should defend the Court’s independence unconditionally.”
Republicans have been calling for an investigation into the leak of the Supreme Court draft memo, which is believed to be the first time in history that it one has leaked.
The Supreme Court has not made an official decision on the memo or on Roe v. Wade but is expected to at the end of their term in June or July.
